Joy Kogawas Obasan is an account of a Japanese-Canadian familys

Question

Joy Kogawa’s  Obasan  is an account of a
Japanese-Canadian family’s experiences during World
War II. The events are seen from the viewpoint of a
young girl who watches her family disintegrate as it
  (5)   undergoes the relocation that occurred in both Canada
and the United States. Although the experience
depicted in  Obasan  is mainly one of dislocation,
Kogawa employs subtle techniques that serve to
emphasize her major character’s heroism and to
  (10)   critique the majority culture. The former end is
achieved through the novel’s form and the latter
through the symbols it employs.

The form of the novel parallels the three-stage
structure noted by anthropologists in their studies of
  (15)   rites of passage. According to these anthropologists, a
rite of passage begins with separation from a position
of security in a highly structured society; proceeds to
alienation in a deathlike state where one is stripped of
status, property, and rank; and concludes with
  (20)   reintegration into society accompanied by a
heightened status gained as a result of the second
stage. The process thus has the effect of transforming
a society’s victim into a hero. The first eleven
chapters of  Obasan  situate the young protagonist
  (25)   Naomi Nakane in a close-knit, securely placed family
within Vancouver society. Chapters 12–32 chronicle
the fall into alienation, when Naomi’s family is
dislodged from its structured social niche and
removed from the city into work camps or exile.
  (30)   Separated from her parents, Naomi follows her aunt
Aya  Obasan  to the ghost town of Slocan, where
Naomi joins the surrogate family of her uncle and
aunt. In chapters 33–39 this surrogate family nurtures
Naomi as she develops toward a final integration with
  (35)   the larger society and with herself: as an adult, when
she receives a bundle of family documents and letters
from her aunt, Naomi breaks through the personal
and cultural screens of silence and secretiveness that
have enshrouded her past, and reconciles herself with
  (40)   her history.

Kogawa’s use of motifs drawn from Christian
rituals and symbols forms a subtle critique of the
professed ethics of the majority culture that has
shunned Naomi. In one example of such symbolism,
  (45)   Naomi’s reacquaintance with her past is compared
with the biblical story of turning stone into bread.
The bundle of documents—which Kogawa refers to
as “stone-hard facts”—brings Naomi to the
recognition of her country’s abuse of her people. But
  (50)   implicit in these hard facts, Kogawa suggests, is also
the “bread” of a spiritual sustenance that will allow
Naomi to affirm the durability of her people and
herself. Through the careful deployment of structure
and symbol, Kogawa thus manages to turn Naomi’s
  (55)   experience—and by extension the wartime
experiences of many Japanese Canadians—into a
journey of heroic transformation and a critique of the
majority culture.    1 
 1. Which one of the following most accurately states the main idea of the passage?

(A) While telling a story of familial disruption,  Obasan  uses structure and symbolism to valorize its protagonist and critique the majority culture.
(B) By means of its structure and symbolism,  Obasan  mounts a harsh critique of a society that disrupts its citizens’ lives.
(C) Although intended primarily as social criticism, given its structure  Obasan  can also be read as a tale of heroic transformation.
(D) With its three-part structure that parallels rites of passage,  Obasan  manages to valorize its protagonist in spite of her traumatic experiences.
(E) Although intended primarily as a story of heroic transformation,  Obasan  can also be read as a work of social criticism.

2 
 2. Which one of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?

(A) Two points are made about a novel, the first supported with a brief example, the second reasserted without support.
(B) Two points are made about a novel, the first supported with an extended analogy, the second reasserted without support.
(C) Two points are made about a novel, the first reasserted without support, the second supported with an extended analogy.
(D) Two points are made about a novel, the first supported with a brief example, the second supported with an extended analogy.
(E) Two points are made about a novel, the first supported with an extended analogy, the second supported with a brief example.

3 
 3. It can be inferred that the heroism Naomi gains in the course of  Obasan  is manifested in her

(A) reconciliation with her past
(B) careful deployment of structure and symbol
(C) relationship with her surrogate family
(D) renewal of her religious beliefs
(E) denunciation of the majority culture

4 
 4. According to the anthropologists cited by the author, rites of passage are best described by which one of the following sequences of stages?

(A) alienation, dislocation, integration
(B) separation, alienation, reintegration
(C) integration, alienation, disintegration
(D) dislocation, reconciliation, reintegration
(E) disintegration, transformation, reintegration

5 
 5. According to the passage, the agent of Naomi’s reconciliation with her past is

(A) her reunion with her parents
(B) the exile of her parents
(C) her critique of the majority society
(D) her separation from her aunt and uncle
(E) her receipt of documents and letters

6 
 6. The passage suggests that Joy Kogawa believes which one of the following about the society that shuns Naomi?

(A) It discouraged its citizens from seeking out their heritage.
(B) It endeavored to thwart its citizens’ attempts at heroic transformation.
(C) It violated its own supposed religious ethics by doing so.
(D) It prohibited its citizens from participating in rites of passage.
(E) It demanded that loyalty to the government replace loyalty to the family.

7 
 7. Based on the passage, which one of the following aspects of Kogawa’s work does the author of the passage appear to value most highly?

(A) her willingness to make political statements
(B) her imaginative development of characters
(C) her subtle use of literary techniques
(D) her knowledge of Christian rituals and symbols
(E) her objectivity in describing Naomi’s tragic life

100mitra · Accepted Answer

Paraphrasing:   {15 mins 5/7 correct} 
  Para 1:   Novel “Obasan” by Joy Kogawa, about a Japanese-Canadian family’s experience of dislocation during WW2, serve to emphasize her major character’s heroism and to critique the majority culture. Novel is divided into two forms, first from form of novel and second symbols its employs
  Para 2:   anthropologists in their study, divides novel into 3 stages of Naomi journey: 
 First  (chapter 1 to 11) secure and safe position in society; 
 Second  (chapter 12 to 32), getting separate from secure and safe position to ghost town; 
 Third  (chapter 33 to 39), re-gain the lost history status, reconciles herself with her history. 
  Para 3:   Kogawa’s novel describe Naomi’s feelings and Japanese-Canadian people had to face during war time experience from the majority culture society, a journey of heroic transformation

1. Which one of the following most accurately states the main idea of the passage?  
(A) While telling a story of familial disruption, Obasan uses structure and symbolism 
to valorise its protagonist and critique the majority culture.
  Correct: Validate main character “Naomi” and analysis majority culture, as mentioned in the passage,
“Although the experience depicted in Obasan is mainly one of dislocation, Kogawa employs subtle techniques that serve to emphasize her major character’s heroism and to critique the majority culture”

(B) By means of its structure and symbolism, 
Obasan mounts a harsh critique of a society that disrupts its citizens’ lives.
  Wrong:   Analysis about harsh society behaviour 
that disturbs citizens wrongly describe all citizens, 
but it was specifically about Japanese-Canadian citizen faced criticism during WW2, 
through main character Naomi

(C) Although intended primarily as social criticism, 
given its structure Obasan can also be read as a tale of heroic transformation.
Focus on social criticism through Naomi journey during war time experience 
  Wrong:   it’s the other way around, Novel focus on Naomi journey during war time experience from social criticism

(D) With its three-part structure that parallels rites of passage, 
Obasan manages to valorise its protagonist in spite of her traumatic experiences.
  Wrong:   Novel is not about the people who study societies and culture development, 
who divide the novel into 3 stages for ease of understanding.

(E) Although intended primarily as a story of heroic transformation, 
Obasan can also be read as a work of social criticism.
  Wrong:   Not about work of social criticism

2. Which one of the following most accurately describes the organization of the passage?  
  Explanation:   
  Para 1:   Introduction – “The former end is achieved through the novel’s form and the latter through the symbols it employs.”

Para 2   is extended analogy – purpose of explanation or clarification by Anthropologists in their study by dividing novel into 3 stages of Naomi journey: 
 First  (chapter 1 to 11) secure and safe position in society; 
 Second  (chapter 12 to 32), getting separate from secure and safe position to ghost town; 
 Third  (chapter 33 to 39), re-gain the lost history status, reconciles herself with her history

Para 3:   is support by brief example, as mentioned in the passage, 
“In one example of such symbolism, Naomi’s reacquaintance with her past is compared with 
 the biblical story of turning stone into bread . 
The bundle of documents—which Kogawa refers to as “ stone-hard facts ”
—brings Naomi to the recognition of her country’s abuse of her people. 
But implicit in these hard facts, Kogawa suggests, is also the “ bread ” of a spiritual sustenance 
that will allow Naomi to affirm the durability of her people and herself”
  Only answer E is correct
(E) Two points are made about a novel, 
the first supported with an extended analogy, - Para 2
the second supported with a brief example - Para 3

3. It can be inferred that the heroism Naomi gains in the course of Obasan is manifested in her  
(A) reconciliation with her past 
  Correct: as mentioned in the passage,
“In chapters 33–39 this surrogate family nurtures Naomi as 
she develops toward a final integration with the larger society and with herself: 
as an adult, when she receives a bundle of family documents and letters from her aunt, 
Naomi breaks through the personal and cultural screens of silence and secretiveness 
that have enshrouded her past, and reconciles herself with her history.

(B) careful deployment of structure and symbol
  Wrong:   this was for Naomi journey of heroic transformation, as mentioned in the passage, 
“Through the careful deployment of structure and symbol, Kogawa thus manages to turn Naomi’s experience into a journey of heroic transformation and a critique of the majority culture”

(C) relationship with her surrogate family   Wrong:   This is part of Chapters 12–32 chronicle the fall into alienation
(D) renewal of her religious beliefs   Wrong:   Out of scope
(E) denunciation of the majority culture   Wrong:   not about analysis or criticism of majority culture

4. According to the anthropologists cited by the author, 
rites of passage are best described by which one of the following sequences of stages?  
  Explanation:   as mentioned in the passage, 
“According to these anthropologists, a rite of passage 
- begins with  separation  from a position of security in a highly structured society; 
- proceeds to  alienation  in a deathlike state where one is stripped of status, property, and rank; 
concludes with  reintegration  into society accompanied by a heightened status gained
  (B) separation, alienation, reintegration – Correct

5. According to the passage, the agent of Naomi’s reconciliation with her past is  
  Explanation:   as mentioned in the passage, the agent which Naomi’s reconciliation with her past is, 
“ In chapters 33–39 this surrogate family nurtures Naomi as she develops toward a final integration with the larger society and with herself: 
as an adult, when she receives a bundle of family documents and letters from her aunt ”
  (E) her receipt of documents and letters - Correct

6. The passage suggests that 
Joy Kogawa believes which one of the following about the society 
that shuns Naomi?  
  Explanation:   as mentioned in the passage, 
“Kogawa’s use of motifs drawn from Christian rituals and symbols forms a subtle critique of the professed ethics of the majority culture that has shunned Naomi.”

(A) It discouraged its citizens from seeking out their heritage   – Wrong:   Irrelevant
(B) It endeavoured to thwart its citizens’ attempts at heroic transformation   – Wrong:   Not concern
  (C) It violated its own supposed religious ethics by doing so – Correct: as mentioned in the passage  
(D) It prohibited its citizens from participating in rites of passage   – Wrong:   Out of scope
(E) It demanded that loyalty to the government replace loyalty to the family   – Wrong:   Out of Scope

7. Based on the passage, which one of the following aspects of 
Kogawa’s work does the author of the passage appear to value most highly?  
  Explanation:   as mentioned in the passage, 
“Although the experience depicted in Obasan is mainly one of dislocation, 
Kogawa employs subtle techniques that serve 
 to emphasize her major character’s heroism  and 
 to critique the majority culture ”

(A) her willingness to make political statements   – Wrong:   not about pollical tone
(B) her imaginative development of characters   – Wrong:   not about development of imaginative character 
  (C) her subtle use of literary techniques 
Correct: Google meaning for Literary techniques are specific, deliberate constructions of language 
which an author uses to convey meaning, for Kogawa, its to emphasize and to critique   
(D) her knowledge of Christian rituals and symbols  – Wrong:   Out of scope 
(E) her objectivity in describing Naomi’s tragic life 
  – Wrong:   Trap! As intended meaning of passage revolves around describing Naomi’s tragic life.

Joy Kogawas Obasan is an account of a Japanese-Canadian familys

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Joy Kogawas Obasan is an account of a Japanese-Canadian familys

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